Rope-splicing device.



- PATENTED JAN. 14,1908. W. MELLAND 8: W. H. NIBLD.

ROPE SPLIOING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No; 876,572. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.- w. MELLAND & w'. H. NIELD.

ROPE SPLIGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'M/VI/VTJRJ W/m z .5255 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MELLAND, OF ALTRINGI-IAM, AND WILLIAM HERBERT NIELD, OF I-IEATON MERSEY, ENGLAND.

ROPE-SPLICING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 27. 1907. Serial No. 364-989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM MELLAND and WILLIAM HERBERT NIELD, both subjects of Great Britain, the former residing at Beaulieu, I-Iale, Altrincham, in the county of Chester, England, and the latter residing at 23 Hawthorn road, IIeaton Mersey, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rope-Splicing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in splicing the ends of ropes and in means therefor and is a development of the invention for which we obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain numbered 12913 of 1903.

In that invention we employed a flexible link divided into loops through which the unraveled strands at the ends of the rope are threaded and interlaced to form a splice, but according to our present invention we employ a different form of link which enables us to dispense with the interlacing and instead to coil the unraveled strands spirally round the link in such manner as to retain the original contour of the rope.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawingsFigure 1 is a view of the partially unraveled end of a three strand rope and of our improved flexible link coupling made with five loops. Fig. 2 shows the same end of the rope with the unraveled portions of its three strands coiled round and threaded through the loops of the flexible link coupling. Fig. 3 shows both ends of the rope with its unraveled portions coiled round and threaded through the loops of the flexible link coupling to complete the splice. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 3 respectively but illustrating a four strand rope and a four looped link coupling. Fig. 6 is a similar view ito Fig. 4 but showing a six looped link coup- Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3,a designates the rope and the numerals 1, 2, 3, denote its three strands. The flexible link coupling 1) may be formed of wire or other suitable material and have any convenient number of loops; in the example illustrated it has five loops lettered b to 5 To make a splice or coupling according to our invention we measure from each end of the rope the length required for the joint and tie a band round the rope at that point, and then unravel the strands up to the band. We

then take the bottom strand No. 1 and thread it upwards through the first loop I) in the flexible link pulling it as far through as it will go. We do the same with either of the remaining strands say No. 2 but thread it downwards. We then take No. 1 strand and wind it spirally round the flexible link coupling 1) in the same direction as the lie or twist of the rope, giving it the same number of turns until loop 11 is reached when the No. 1 end is threaded upwards and left as shown in Fig. 2. I/Ve then take No. 2 strand and treat it in like manner until loop I) is reached when the No. 2 end is threaded upwards and left as shown in Fig. 2. We then take the remaining strand No. 3 and work it round between Nos. 1 and 2 in its proper place and order until loop 5 is reached when the No. 3 end is threaded upwards and left as shown in'Fig. 2. One end of the rope is now completed and we next treat the other end in exactly the same way but starting at the opposite end of the flexible link coupling and threading the ends downward instead of upward as shown or else reversing the half finished splice, so that the strands Nos. 4 and 5 pass through loop 6 end No. 4 being left at loop 5 end No. 5 at i loop 5 and No. 6strand being wound spirally and left finally in loop 5 The ends shown in Fig. 3 can then be cut off to complete the splice or coupling.

The order of threading and finishing the strands may be varied in many ways and the ends may be finished at any of the loops provided always that one or more, preferably two, of the strands are threaded through each end. loop of the flexible link coupling in order to insure that the pull or tensional strain of the rope on the ends of the coupling will close the intermediate loops and so grip the rope ends left in them, consequently the greater the tension on the rope the greater will be the grip on the ends of the strands.

Referring next to Figs. 4 and 5 the rope a is a four strand one andthe flexible link coupling 1) has four loops 1) to 6 instead of five. In threading, two strands Nos. 1 and 3 are taken through the loop I), one upwards and one downwards, and are wound spirally and threaded through and left at loop 6 The 'remaining strands Nos. 2 and 4 are in like manner wound spirally and threaded through and left at loop 6 In like manner at the other end of the strands Nos. 5 and 7 are threaded, one up and one down, through the loop 5 and are wound spirally, threaded through and left at loop 6 and. the strands Nos. 6 and S are wound spirally in proper order, threaded through and left at loop b and the ends are then cut oil as described with reference to the three strand rope splice.

In Fig. 6 we show again a four strand rope a but the flexible link coupling 6 has six loops 1) to 1) instead of four. In this case strands Nos. 1 and 3 are threaded respectively upwards and downwards through loop I) and No. 1 is wound spirally and threaded through and left at loop I) while strand No. 3 is wound spirally, threaded through and left at loop 6 Strands Nos. 2 and 4 are wound spirally in proper order,

and threaded through and left at loops 1) and b respectively. The other end of the rope is treated in exactly the same way, starting at the opposite end of the coupling after first reversing the half finished splice so that the ends left at the loops will hang from the underside.

It will be readily understood that our invention may be applied to ropes having more than four strands by threading say two or more strands through each end loop of the flexible link coupling in order, by the pull on the coupling, to grip the ends of the strands in the intermediate loops. In every case the order of threading the strands may be varied and also the intermediate loops at which they finish may be varied provided that the strands are wound round spirally in their proper sequence and direction and it is desirable also that at least two strands are threaded through each end loop. Again the flexible link coupling although preferably made of wire may be formed of any other suitable material or combination of materials without departing from the nature of our invention.

In some cases in order to prevent the loops of the flexible link coupling from spreading or creeping under the torsional strain and the pressure on the ends in the loops arising from the tension on the coils of the rope, we may wrap each or any loop with a bandv of any suitable flexible or soft material such as cotton twine or the like and connect the ends of such wrapping so as to form an endless and practically inextensible band.

Ne declare that what we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A device for use in splicing the unraveled strand ends of a rope comprising a flexible link coupling having a loop at each end and loops intermediate its ends, and a straight portion between each pair of loops, said straight portion being of substantially the same length as the loop.

In testimony-whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM MELLAND. W'ILLIAM HERBERT NIELD.

Witnesses:

HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW, HERBERT ROWLAND ABBEY. 

